Lake Garda - Day Trip from Seefeld by Car

Description: Lake Garda
Location: Italy
Duration: full day

Lake Garda offers a complete contrast to a holiday in the Austrian Tyrol.

A touch of Italian flair: lazing by the lakeside on a sunny day; windsurfing instead of mountainbiking; wine and olives instead of beer and bacon.

Of course, the reason people are staying in the Tyrol is because they love the mountains, but a trip to the "Lago di Garda" offers something a little bit different.

And it is not that far away.

For this route it's best to head down the motorway for the main part of the route: up and over the Brenner pass and then down past Brixen and Bozen to the junctions for the lake.

Although car drivers have the option of touring around the lake, this is a lengthy process at the best of times and will drive motorists around the bend in anything approaching high season.

Far better is to choose either the northern or the southern end of the lake as a destination for a day-trip.

Those who have plumped for the northern end have the choice of Riva del Garda - one of the main settlements on the lake - and the smaller resorts of Limone, Torbole and Malcesine.

Drivers will see the motorway exit for the northern end of the lake after the town of Rovoreto. The route takes a fairly good road up and over the hills and heads down into Torbole (a centre for windsurfing). From here it is possible to turn right to Riva del Garda (well worth a more lengthy visit) and Limone (famous for its groves of lemons) or left down part of the lake shore to Malcesine (with a lovely castle and great views over the lake).

Alternatively, park up in Riva or Torbole and buy a ferry ticket to one or both of the above destinations.

The journey from Seefeld to Riva del Garda should take around two-and-a-half hours without any major stops or delays.

The north is the more mountainous narrower end of the lake, but those heading for the south will see a more "Italian" landscape, flatter and full of vineyards and olive groves.

The best exit to take is that at Affi, just before the motorway starts turning to the east towards Verona. From here there is a short main road which winds through the olive plantations to either Bardolino or Garda itself. (There is also a big shopping centre just off the motorway exit roundabout for those who want to bring some Italian specialities or clothes back with them.)

Both are very pleasant towns and popular holiday destinations in their own right. Again it is possible to take the ferry from either across to other resorts on the southern end of Lake Garda.

One very popular choice for a ferry trip is the ride over to the lovely settlement of Sirmione, set on a peninsular on the south shore of the lake and with an interesting fortress and ruins of a Roman villa, as well as a pleasant old town.

The drive down to Bardolino or Garda should take around three hours without stops or delays.

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